JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Healthcare systems all over the world are developing in a way that compels patients to become more active in the management of their own health and disease – a development that changes the role of modern patients and the skills needed to navigate the healthcare system. On this basis, clear communication and ensuring comprehension and recall becomes more important in patient-provider interactions – especially in relation to patients with chronic disease(s), where self-management education and counselling is a cornerstone in managing these diseases. Health literacy can play an important role in strengthening self-management in chronic patients.

Objective:

This study seeks to examine the use of an interactive communication model that both adjusts for health literacy in communication and seeks to ensure comprehension and recall between nurses and patients.

Methods:

A quasi-experimental control group study including full economic evaluation with six months follow-up. Based on power calculation 82 participants will be included. Participants are assigned either the interactive communication model (intervention) or usual nursing care. It will be assessed if the model influence level of health literacy and participants experience a higher health-related quality of life. Further, the cost-effectiveness will be evaluated. Overall, the statistical methods will follow an intention-to-treat principle. Results will be presented in accordance with the TREND guidelines for non-randomized designs as well as the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS).

Results:

This paper describes a protocol for a clustered quasi-experimental control study that seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the interactive communicative model. Most studies in the field of HL are epidemiological studies, that seeks to address the effects of poor HL in populations and its potential impact on health inequity. A total of 82 participants, who receive community nursing will be included. The final trial day is the 1st of May 2022 with first report of results in the final quarter of 2022.

Conclusions:

The results of the trial can create the base for conducting a large-scale study and inspire conduction of more studies that seeks to create and evaluate interventions aimed at enhancing the level of HL and reduce the utilisation of health resources. Clinical Trial: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04929314. Registered 6 March 2021. The trial is ongoing.